Govt report finds no proof of panther

Thu 16 Jul 2009, 10:24 AM AEST

A New South Wales Government report says it has found no evidence to suggest a large cat-like animal is roaming near Lithgow in the state's central west.

Shortly after he became Premier last year, Nathan Rees asked the Primary Industries Department to look into persistent rumours that a panther-like animal was loose in the Blue Mountains and elsewhere in the state.

In its final report, obtained by the ABC, the department says it examined video footage, plaster casts of footprints and photographs of scratch marks and sent hair, saliva and faecal samples for DNA analysis.

However, none of the evidence has conclusively proved the existence of a large, free-ranging cat-like animal.

The report concludes the paw prints obtained are most likely to be from a large dog.

"There was no conclusive evidence found. The report will be made public and I won't be providing further comment," Mr Rees said.

However, the door is not completely closed on the issue. The report recommends that the department should continue to collect reports of unidentified animals through its website.